Hermione
by DreamingLillies
Summary: Hermione. That was all I could think of. That one word rang in my ears like my salvation. It was a torture I had never felt before. The moment I saw her, the moment I got to hold her in my arms, I knew nothing would ever be the same again. Hermione.


**Hey guys, this is set in the 7th book right after the HORRIBLE scene in Malfoy Mannor, and the itlaized part below is from said book. Which I did not write--In case you all were wondering. **

**Enjoy!**

_The echoing bang of the slammed cellar door had not died away before there was a terrible, drawn-out scream from directly above them. _

"_HERMIONE!" Ron bellowed, and he started to writhe and struggle against the ropes tying them together, so that Harry staggered. "HERMIONE!"_

…_.Another terrible scream—_

"_HERMIONE!"…_

…"_ANSWER ME! __**CRUCIO!"**_

_Hermione's screams echoed of the walls upstairs, Ron was half sobbing as he pounded the walls with his fists…_

…"_HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"…_

"_Harry Potter…Dobby has come to rescue you…"_

"_I want you to grab Luna, Dean, and Mr. Ollivander, and take them—take them to—"_

"_Bill and Fleur's," said Ron, "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!"_

"_And then come back," said Harry, "Can you do that Dobby?"_

_The elf nodded…_

…_."And I think,"said Bellatrix's voice, "we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her."_

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_Ron had burst into the drawing room…._

"_STOP OR SHE DIES!" …Bellatrix was supporting Hermione who seemed to be unconscious, and was holding her short silver knife to Hermione's throat. _

_They dropped their wands…_

"_Dobby!" she screamed…_

"_You must not hurt Harry Potter," he squeaked._

"_Kill him, Cissy!" …_

"…_GO!"_

…_.Hoisting the groaning goblin, who still clung to the sword, over one shoulder, Harry seized Dobby's hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate."_

…_And then they hit solid earth and smelled salty air..._

"_Have we come to the right place? Dobby?"_

"_DOBBY!"_

RPOV

Hermione. That was all I could think of. That one word rang in my ears like my salvation. Hundreds of regrets running through my mind. How can I help her? Her agony felt like my soul was being split into its own Horexcux. It was a torture I had never felt before. So helpless. The moment I saw her, the moment I got to hold her in my arms I knew nothing would ever be the same again. Hermione.

I was carrying her to the couch, she was limp against my arms. I held her to my chest, wanting to never let her go. "Hermione? You're ok now. You're safe now, Hermione."

She mumbled something which helped as I tried to convince myself of the same thing I just told her. She is safe. She is in my arms. Hermione is safe. She is right here. I repeated the mantra over and over…

I finally got her inside of Bill and Fleur's cottage, the moment I stepped in the door I had a flashback of how I had shown up here after walking out.

Walking out on Harry.

Walking out on Hermione. My angel who stood there and begged for me to return. Who sobbed my name. And what did I do? I kept walking. I kept walking from my Hermione. Who I love with all my being.

I don't know what was wrong with me.

Fleur began to usher Hermione and me to one of the guest room beds, Fleur immediately took out her Healers box of remedies and I sat there, again, helpless. I had placed Hermione gently so that she laid with her head resting on the large pillow. I took her hand in both of mine and held it to my face, sitting on a chair I had pulled to the side of the bed.

Hermione is safe. Hermione is safe. Hermione is safe.

She was so pale though. My beautiful Hermione was lying there, broken. And for what?

Because effing Harry Potter had to go and say He-Who-Must-Not-Named name!

I mean, Merlin, it says not to say it even in the damned title! But no he had to go and be like Dumbledore and try to be better and braver than everyone and call him his name!

If he had not done this, none of this would have happened. Hermione would not have to have been tortured. The sounds of her horrific screams seemed like they would never leave my being.

The sudden rage that had built in me toward Harry subsided due to the complete heartbreak of remembering those screams. Tears filled my eyes once again, and I kissed the palm of Hermione's hand, holding her almost lifeless hand to my cheek.

"Hermione…" I murmured, and stroked her forehead with my left hand. She stirred for a moment and then her eye lids fluttered and then snapped open.

Her body jumped, pulling back her hand at a record speed, her scream stuck in her throat.

"Hermione! Sssh, its ok. You're safe. Its just me, Ron."

Her eyes looked at me for long moment, then finally accepting it was true, she burst into tears.

"Oh, Ron!" Her body being to heave sobs and I took her as close as possible to my body. Cradling her, and rocking her gently. "Oh, Ron, it was so horrible!"

"Sssh, I'm so sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry I wasn't there…." My sobs now mixed with hers and all I could think was Hermione is safe. Hermione is safe in my arms. "I'm so sorry…"

"Oh Ron, I wanted to die. There was so much pain…"

"Its over now…Its over, you're safe now…"

We clung to each other, almost afraid that if we let go we would be back at the Malfoy Manor.

"Give her this, please." I did not know how long Fleur had been standing there—and neither did I care. I greedily took the potion she handed me and Hermione drank the whole cup down with a faint 'ugh.' I assumed because of the vile taste.

"I shall go to 'elp Grip'ook." Fleur said about to leave.

"Everyone else is alright, right?" It had never even crossed my mind that someone else would have been hurt, but Hermione had a very worried look on her face by Fleurs slight hesitation.

"Zee…zee house elf…Dobby, he was killed. I am very sorry."

This was a low blew and almost too afraid to ask I said, "How is Harry taking it?"

"Bill said he was digging a grave, by hand."

I nodded at this, it seemed a very 'Harry' thing to do.

"Poor Dobby…"Hermione said, I knew she was thinking of S.P.E.W.

"Are you ok? I know you must be hurting. Can I do anything?" My eyes were searching hers, the mantra playing in my head again so I could keep my sanity.

She bit her lip, she was debating. "Anything, I mean it, anything you need or want, please tell me, Hermione."

"Could you hold me?"

"Of course." I stood up and walked to the other side of the bed.

I placed my arms around her and formed my body around hers. The spoon position was now my favorite.

"Thank you."

I gingerly stroked her hair, "You know I would do anything for you, Hermione."

I felt dampness where her head rested on my arm. "I am so sorry I couldn't get to you fast enough Hermione…I don't—I'm just—"

"Its alright Ron."

We laid there in silence for a while, I was still trying to believe she was alive. I held her tighter to my body, nuzzling into her neck, breathing in my Hermione.

Hermione is safe.

"You really scared me tonight." I said softly. "I didn't know what to do, or how to get to you…" She was silently sobbing again. "I had already left you once…" My voice cracked again and all the shame and quilt that had built up in me since my horrible act came to life and all those nights of wondering if they were alright came to mock me.

"Hermione I don't know what—"

"Ron," She looked up at me, "Just—hold me and be quiet."

I was in a strange stage tonight. I was very open to all my emotions, which was a rarity for me. I think that one moment where I stood there, half sobbing, pounding on the walls of the cellar while hearing Hermione in agony changed everything. I realized right then and there that Hermione was all that mattered. That moment where I honestly would have killed anyone, myself included, hell maybe even Harry the 'chosen one'—to make her stop screaming, to make her misery end. It just all made sense. As infuriating and stubborn and know it all Hermione was, she was meant to be with me.

A grin grew on my face, which turned into a frown. Dobby had just died. Death was everywhere, who was next? I looked down at Hermione. What if—

No, now was not the time for pondering what if's. Now was one of the few moments Hermione and I would have alone together until all this He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named business was all over.

And who knew when that would be?

A month, a year, five years?

Being best mates with _the _Harry Potter, I'd given up a long time ago trying to guess the future.

"Ron, you know that I love you, right?" I was so taken aback by her words that I had to remember to breathe. Slowly, I nodded.

"Am I allowed to talk?" I asked sheepishly.

She gave a ghost of a laugh and nodded her weak head.

"I love you, Hermione."

Somehow, when I said it, it didn't sound like a friendship I love you. I didn't stutter, I didn't mumble, I said it in complete confidence. I said it as if I were on a horse drawn carriage and about to purpose, I said it with clarity and strength.

I said it with love, damnit.

But as I looked down on my know it all angel, she was peacefully asleep.

Of course, something's _always _got to happen so she doesn't hear when I'm actually being decent.

I thought about Harry and our mission. I thought about a lot of things while she slept in my arms.

"Ron…?" I looked down and sure enough she was still fast asleep. She was dreaming about me!

"Erm, Ron, I need to give zee mediezon to 'Ermione now, iz that ok?"

No! I wanted to scream, how dare you try to take my beautiful Hermione away from my while shes asleep in my arms!

"She just fell asleep…"

"She needs to be sleeping for the zee potion to work."

"Oh, ok."

I gently kissed Hermiones' forehead and extracted myself from her clutches.

I walked out and decided to join Harry in digging for Dobby's grave. As furious as I was for what Harry did, Dobby was a good….being? Yes, he was just a good being and character all around.

Once the manual labor was finished, along with my helpless feeling, I saw Hermione come walking out towards me. I put an arm around her and held her close to me. I lowly whispered in her ear, "What are you doing out of bed?"

"To see off Dobby."

I nodded at her and she smiled at me, but there was something else in her smile. There was something different in the way she was looking at me.

As we walked back inside, she took my hand in hers and it occurred to me that she might have heard me afterall.


End file.
